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(a) | in the case of postal ballot papers, they have been mixed with the |
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ballot papers from at least one ballot box; |
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(b) | in the case of ballot papers from a ballot box, they have been mixed |
| |
with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box. |
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(2) | The Chief Electoral Officer, while counting the votes, must— |
| 5 |
(a) | keep the ballot papers with their faces upwards, and |
| |
(b) | take all proper precautions for preventing anyone from seeing the |
| |
numbers or other unique identifying marks printed on the back of |
| |
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(3) | The Chief Electoral Officer must so far as practicable proceed continuously |
| 10 |
with the counting of votes, allowing only time for refreshment, except that— |
| |
(a) | the officer may exclude the whole or any part of the period between |
| |
11 pm and 9 am on the next day; |
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(b) | the officer may exclude a day mentioned in rule 2(1) of the |
| |
| 15 |
(4) | During the time so excluded the Chief Electoral Officer must— |
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(a) | place the ballot papers and other documents relating to the |
| |
referendum or election under the officer’s own seal and the seals of |
| |
any of the counting agents who want to affix their seals, and |
| |
(b) | otherwise take proper precautions for the security of the papers and |
| 20 |
| |
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34 | Paragraphs 31 to 33 apply instead of— |
| |
(a) | rules 39 and 40 of the referendum rules; |
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(b) | rules 44 and 44B of the Assembly Elections Rules; |
| 25 |
(c) | rules 43(1), 44 and 45 of the Local Elections Rules. |
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Ballot papers placed in wrong ballot box |
| |
35 | Where separate ballot boxes are used for the referendum and a relevant |
| |
election, the placing of a ballot paper in the wrong ballot box does not render |
| |
| 30 |
| |
| |
36 | The result of the referendum or a relevant election may not be declared until |
| |
the statement as to the result of the verification of the ballot paper accounts |
| |
in relation to each poll has been prepared. |
| 35 |
Disposal of documents etc |
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Retention of certain documents by Chief Electoral Officer |
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37 (1) | Rules 50(1)(b) and 52 of the referendum rules apply to the documents |
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specified in sub-paragraphs (c) and (e) of paragraph (1) of rule 58 of the |
| |
Local Elections Rules, and that paragraph applies as if those sub-paragraphs |
| 40 |
| |
|
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|
| |
|
(2) | Rule 56(8) of the Assembly Elections Rules and rule 59(7) of the Local |
| |
Elections Rules each have effect as if for “by this rule provided” there were |
| |
substituted “provided by this rule (or a court order)”. |
| |
Countermand or abandonment of poll |
| |
| 5 |
(a) | under rule 63 of the Assembly Elections Rules notice of the poll at an |
| |
Assembly election is countermanded or it is directed that the poll be |
| |
| |
(b) | under rule 61 of the Local Elections Rules notice of the poll at a local |
| |
election is countermanded or it is directed that the poll be |
| 10 |
| |
| the countermand or direction does not affect the poll for the other election or |
| |
the poll for the referendum. |
| |
(2) | If the poll for a relevant election is abandoned because of a candidate’s |
| |
| 15 |
(a) | no further ballot papers at that election must be delivered in any |
| |
| |
(b) | at the close of the other polls the presiding officer must comply with |
| |
the requirements of rule 43 of the Assembly Elections Rules (where |
| |
the abandoned poll was the poll for the Assembly election) or rule 41 |
| 20 |
of the Local Elections Rules (where the abandoned poll was the poll |
| |
for the local election) as if the poll for the relevant election had not |
| |
| |
(c) | the Chief Electoral Officer must dispose of the ballot papers used at |
| |
the abandoned election and other documents in the officer’s |
| 25 |
possession as the officer would have been required to do on the |
| |
completion of the counting of the votes. |
| |
(3) | In a case falling within sub-paragraph (2)— |
| |
(a) | a ballot paper account for the abandoned election need not be |
| |
| 30 |
(b) | the Chief Electoral Officer, having separated the ballot papers |
| |
relating to the referendum and each relevant election, must take no |
| |
further step for the counting of the ballot papers used at the |
| |
abandoned election or for the counting of the votes; |
| |
(c) | the Chief Electoral Officer must seal up the ballot papers used at the |
| 35 |
abandoned election whether the votes on them have been counted or |
| |
| |
(d) | it is not necessary to seal up counted and rejected ballot papers used |
| |
at the abandoned election in separate packets. |
| |
(4) | This paragraph applies instead of— |
| 40 |
(a) | rule 65(1) to (6) of the Assembly Elections Rules; |
| |
(b) | rule 61(2) of the Local Elections Rules. |
| |
|
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|
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|
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Form 2 - Form of declaration of identity (to be used where proceedings on |
| |
issue and receipt of postal ballot papers combined) |
| |
| |
| | | 5 | | Ballot Papers nos. ............................................ |
| | | | I am the person to whom the ballot papers numbered above were sent. |
| | | | My date of birth is .............. (you are not required to give your date of birth if you |
| | | | are to vote as a proxy for someone else). |
| | | | Voter’s signature ......................................... |
| | 10 | | The voter, who is personally known to me, has signed this declaration in my |
| | | | | | | | Witness’s signature ...................................................................................... |
| | | | Name of witness (WRITE CLEARLY) ............................................................ |
| | | | Address of witness (WRITE CLEARLY) ....................................................... |
| | 15 | | ........................................................................................................................ |
| | | | SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BACK OF THIS FORM |
| | |
|
| |
| INSTRUCTIONS TO THE VOTER |
| | | | 1. You must sign this declaration of identity in the presence of a person known to |
| | 20 | | you. That person should then sign this declaration as a witness, adding his or her |
| | | | name and address. Without this the declaration will be invalid and your vote will |
| | | | | | | | 2. When you are voting in the referendum on the voting system for United |
| | | | Kingdom parliamentary elections ([insert colour of ballot paper] ballot paper), mark |
| | 25 | | a cross (X) in the box on the right hand side of the ballot paper opposite the |
| | | | answer you are voting for. Do this secretly. If you cannot vote without assistance, |
| | | | the person assisting you must not disclose how you have voted. Vote once only. |
| | | | Do not mark the ballot paper in any other way or your vote may not be counted. |
| | | | 3. When you are voting in the election to the Northern Ireland Assembly or for |
| | 30 | | the election of district councillors, different colours are used for the ballot papers |
| | | | | | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 4. When you are voting in the election to the Northern Ireland Assembly ([insert |
| | | | colour of ballot paper] ballot paper), number the candidates in order of preference, |
| | | | putting “1” against the candidate of your 1st preference, “2” against your 2nd |
| | | | preference and so on. You should not put the same preference against more than |
| | | | one candidate. You may show your preference for as many or as few candidates |
| | 5 | | as you wish. Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may not be |
| | | | counted. Do this secretly. If you cannot vote without assistance, the person |
| | | | assisting you must not disclose how you have voted. |
| | | | 5. When you are voting in the election of district councillors ([insert colour of ballot |
| | | | paper] ballot paper), number the candidates in order of preference, putting “1” |
| | 10 | | against the candidate of your 1st preference, “2” against your 2nd preference and |
| | | | so on. You should not put the same preference against more than one candidate. |
| | | | You may show your preference for as many or as few candidates as you wish. |
| | | | Put no other mark on the ballot paper, or your vote may not be counted. Do this |
| | | | secretly. If you cannot vote without assistance, the person assisting you must not |
| | 15 | | disclose how you have voted. |
| | | | 6. Put the ballot papers in the small envelope marked “A” and seal it. Then put |
| | | | the envelope marked “A”, together with the declaration of identity, in the larger |
| | | | envelope marked “B”. Return it without delay. The ballot papers must be |
| | | | received by the counting officer not later than the close of the poll. |
| | 20 | | 7. If you receive more than one ballot paper, remember that it is illegal to vote |
| | | | more than once (otherwise than as proxy) at the same election or to vote more |
| | | | than once (otherwise than as proxy) in the referendum. You are entitled to vote at |
| | | | different elections which are held on the same day. |
| | | | 8. In this referendum or in these elections you cannot vote in person at a polling |
| | 25 | | | | | | 9. If by mistake you spoil your ballot paper, you can apply to the counting officer |
| | | | for another one. With your application you must return, in your own envelope, |
| | | | the spoilt ballot paper(s), the declaration of identity and the envelopes marked |
| | | | “A” and “B”. We can only issue replacement postal ballot papers before 5 p.m. on |
| | 30 | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| |
Form 3 - Form of declaration of identity (to be used for referendum where |
| |
proceedings on issue and receipt of postal ballot papers not combined) |
| 35 |
| |
| | | | | Referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary |
| | | | | | | | Ballot Paper no.............................................
|
| | 40 | | | | | | I am the person to whom the ballot paper numbered above was sent. |
| | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| My date of birth is .............. (you are not required to give your date of birth if you |
| | | | are to vote as a proxy for someone else). |
| | | | Voter’s signature ......................................... |
| | | | The voter, who is personally known to me, has signed this declaration in my |
| | | | | | 5 | | Witness’s signature ...................................................................................... |
| | | | Name of witness (WRITE CLEARLY) ............................................................ |
| | | | Address of witness (WRITE CLEARLY) ....................................................... |
| | | | ........................................................................................................................ |
| | | | SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BACK OF THIS FORM |
| | 10 |
|
|
| |
| INSTRUCTIONS TO THE VOTER |
| | | | 1. You must sign this declaration of identity, even if you have already signed a |
| | | | declaration of identity in respect of an election to be held on the same day. You |
| | | | must sign in the presence of a person known to you. That person should then |
| | 15 | | sign this declaration as a witness, adding his or her name and address. Without |
| | | | this the declaration will be invalid and your vote will not be counted. |
| | | | 2. Vote once only. Put no other mark on the ballot paper or your vote may not be |
| | | | | | | | 3. Mark a cross (X) in the box on the right hand side of the ballot paper opposite |
| | 20 | | the answer you are voting for. Do this secretly. If you cannot vote without |
| | | | assistance, the person assisting you must not disclose how you have voted. |
| | | | 4. Put the ballot paper in the small envelope marked “A” and seal it. Then put the |
| | | | envelope marked “A”, together with the declaration of identity, in the larger |
| | | | envelope marked “B”. Return it without delay. The ballot paper must be received |
| | 25 | | by the counting officer not later than the close of the poll. |
| | | | 5. If you receive more than one ballot paper, remember that it is illegal to vote |
| | | | more than once (otherwise than as proxy) in this referendum. |
| | | | 6. In this referendum you cannot vote in person at a polling station. |
| | | | 7. If by mistake you spoil your ballot paper, you can apply to the counting officer |
| | 30 | | for another one. With your application you must return, in your own envelope, |
| | | | the spoilt ballot paper, the declaration of identity and the envelopes marked “A” |
| | | | and “B”. We can only issue replacement postal ballot papers before 5 p.m. on [-1 |
| | | | | | | | | | 35 |
|
|
| |
|
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|
| |
Form 4 - Form of corresponding number list (to be used in polling stations for |
| |
| |
| Voting area/constituency/district electoral area: ........................................ |
| | | | Date of Poll: ......................................... |
| | 5 | | Polling Station: ..................................... |
| | | | Sheet No.: ............................................. |
| | |
|
| Ballot Paper Number (identify the |
| | | | | number issued for the referendum/ |
| | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| 25 |
Form 5 - guidance for voters to be exhibited outside every polling station and |
| |
in every compartment inside |
| |
| | When you are given your ballot papers go to one of the compartments. |
| | | | | On the [insert colour] referendum ballot paper, mark a cross (X) in the box on the |
| | | | | right hand side of the ballot paper opposite the answer you are voting for. |
| | 30 |
|
|
| |
|